Embrace Me (23 page)

I would be working from home like my mother did, and flying from meeting to meeting. It was a good job I had my own plane.
My own plane!
Would I ever get use to that? Frank had been given the task of my full time security, which I was pleased about. He was like family to me now.

Charlie was on his last days helping Straton promote his book, and even I was shocked by the demand my photos received.

I was offered contract after contract from large modeling agencies. Of course, I turned all of them down—I wasn’t Megan Field, after all; I had no interest in that sort of career.

“
Have you read the paper?” Grace threw it in front of me while I was eating my breakfast. I looked at the front page and burst into laughter. What would the press say next? The headlines read: ‘NEW BEAUTY! MISS DOWNING OUTSHINES MEGAN FIELD AND LANDS LARGE MODELING CONTRACT!’

“
I bet Megan will love
that
when she reads it,” I chuckled.

“
The pictures of you were beautiful…timeless really,” Grace added. “Just think: you’re a pin up now.”

“
Shut up,” I moaned, throwing the paper at her. “Haven’t you got a wedding to plan?”

“
It’s not until next summer.” Grace stuck her tongue out at me.

“
I can’t believe I have to put up with you for another year.”

“
It might be longer if Danny likes New York,” Grace commented.

“
Grace, he’s a cowboy. How are you going to get him to fall in love with New York?” I sniggered.

“
I’m not sure, but I am going to try.”

I was glad that she had managed to talk him into coming to New York, but somehow I couldn’t see little Danny liking it in the fast paced city.

I sat watching the Texas sun as it set behind the mountains, leaving the sky a bright orange in its wake. I would miss the clean air here…that was for sure. My lungs had never been so full of fresh air. In the future, perhaps when Charlie and I had children, I could see myself return for a little while. The pace here was slow—perfect for wanting to savor every moment of a family life. Thinking about having children with Charlie filled me with a joy I couldn’t explain, and that honestly surprised me. I hardly recognized myself anymore. I had all my answers; I knew who I was and who I wanted to be.

As I boarded the plane back to New York, I felt almost complete.

Chapter Seventeen

I always knew secrets could destroy even the purest love, breaking it down piece by piece until the lies seeped into the core of your soul.

I had arrived in New York ahead of Charlie because I had so much more to prepare than he did. My mother had organized a grand ball to celebrate my return, which would be happening at the weekend. That was just the beginning, though. I had press conference after press conference scheduled, and even a few charity events to attend. All of this had been crammed into the three days just before the grand ball on Saturday.

This was my life now—a roller coaster—and I had willingly jumped onboard.

“
How does it feel to be back, Miss Downing?”

“
Are you going into modeling?”

“
Is your feud with the Field family still ongoing?”

“
Are you worried you’ll become the next target after what happened to Maisy Field?”

“
Have you heard Maisy Field could be dead?”

“
What are your thoughts on that?” The questions kept flowing so fast that I could hardly keep up.

“
What is your relationship with Harry Mac?”

“
Have you and Mr. Collins split up?”

“
How are you planning to take over at such a young age?”

“
Are you frightened you won’t live up to your mother’s expectations?”

“
Why have you hidden away in Texas for over six months—are you afraid of your responsibilities?”

I didn’t answer the last question. Frank could see I was fading fast and managed to get me out of the press conference in the blink of an eye.  

“
Thanks, Frank.” I put my head in my hands; it was throbbing from all of the pressure.

“
I hate the press. I wish it was legal to shoot some of them.” I couldn’t argue with that statement. Frank always told it like it was.

My new place with Charlie was in fact a mansion on the outskirts of New York. My mother had really outdone herself. I knew Charlie would flip when he saw it, but as my mother said, it was all about security. The mansion had bags of it, too, from CCTV to foot patrols. I was sure not even a stray cat would get through unnoticed. The driveway had a huge, white modern fountain of a Greek beauty bathing, while the house itself was set in grey granite blocks. The interior was full of red carpets and gold framed mirrors, and the grand staircase took my breath away. It actually had two separate staircase weaving around to meet the balcony at the top. The whole place screamed luxury—even knocking spots off the Fields’ Mansion in Cheshire—and I hadn’t even looked around the entire house yet; there just wasn’t time. I knew there were tennis courts and a few pools somewhere on the property, too, and I couldn’t even begin to imagine what else. Having all this space for just Charlie and me seemed insane.

Grace came through the main hallway a little later. “Sorry, I got lost. Do you know how many doors this place has?”

I laughed. “I know. I think I might just stick to living on the ground floor. It would definitely be easier.”

“
Your dress for the ball has arrived. I’ve asked the housekeeper to take it to your room.”

“
I have a housekeeper?” I replied, stunned.

“
Yes.” Grace rolled her eyes at me. “And a cook, a gardener, and a butler. They all arrived today. Don’t you check your emails?”

“
Charlie is going to go crazy!” I shrieked. “He really
is
going to kill me.”

“
Relax, Shannon. Charlie will understand. He knows what your mother is like.”

“
I guess I can just fire them if it gets to be too much,” I smirked.

“
Just go and look at your dress,” she smiled, pushing me towards the main staircase.

“
Which door is it again?” I called from halfway up the stairs.

“
How the hell should I know? It took me an hour to find your front door.” Grace answered as the main doorbell echoed around the mansion. “I’ll see to this. You go and find your bedroom.”

I wandered down the red carpeted corridor, opening door after door. I found three bathrooms, a study, and two guest rooms before I finally found my master bedroom.

It was almost the size of our whole apartment back in Brooklyn. A large, gold plated bed took center stage in the room, and I felt like I was in a royal chamber. Gold leaves were everywhere…from the ornately carved headboard to the double wardrobes and dressing tables. There was also a grand fireplace surrounded by two large red couches and a large gold table.

My dress was hanging up in one of the large wardrobes. It was like a fairy tale dress—the type Cinderella would wear. The pink material was so soft that it almost looked white. I laughed as I noticed the glass slippers on the floor next to the dress. Was someone really expecting me to wear those?

“
Here you are. These damn doors,” Grace muttered as she marched into the room. “Can you keep your phone on you? It may be easier for me to contact you that way. You should check your emails, too.” Grace handed me my phone. “Your mother says the car will pick you up in two hours, and Charlie will meet you at the ball.”

“
He’s not coming here first?” I asked, upset by that news.

“
No, he has to go and see his mother first.” My heart sank a little, but suddenly I realised Rachel must be telling him about Mac tonight. “Shannon, are you alright?”

“
Yeah, fine,” I smiled.

“
Charlie has sent some of his things over. I’ll get the butler to put them away later, once you’ve gone to the ball.” I nodded. “Shall I send the makeup artist and hairdresser up? They’re waiting downstairs.”

“
Can you send them up in half an hour? I want to have a shower first.”

“
Sure,” Grace beamed. “I’ll leave you to it. Just call me if you need anything.”

The bathroom was half the size of the bedroom and was covered in shiny gold tiles. I could even see my reflection as I stepped into the shower. When the steam jets hit my neck, I began to relax. The heat of the water made my body shudder, releasing the knots of tension and stress from around my shoulders. Once I was done, I stepped out and wrapped myself in my bathrobe. I was combing my hair when my entourage knocked on my door. I breathed in deeply before letting them in.

By the time the team had finished, I wasn’t even sure Shannon was in there. My skin was perfectly smooth with just a hint of blush. My eyes were wide with a soft shade of pink above them. My hair was half up with a few long thick curls that fell down my shoulders. I had never seen my eyes sparkle with so much excitement.

“
Are you ready for your dress, Miss Downing?” a member of the team asked.

“
Yes,” I smiled, still looking at myself in the full length mirror. I couldn’t wait to see Charlie’s face when he saw me. I had never looked this stunning before.

I was in a fairy tale. That was the only way I could describe it. I felt like a princess in my dress as it swished against the floor when I walked towards the car.

I could hardly wait to see my prince.

Everyone was looking at me as I passed them. Was this what it felt like to be Cinderella? I giggled to myself.

“
Shannon!” Lorna was the first friendly face I met in the ballroom when I arrived. “You look amazing.”

“
Thanks,” I replied, scanning the crowd for a particular pair of eyes.

“
He’s outside with Bradley,” Lorna whispered. “He got here a few hours ago.”

“
Has he spoken to his mother?” I asked, not knowing if I would get the answer I wanted.

“
I’m not sure. Why?”

“
Never mind,” I muttered, looking around at all the faces watching me. “Who are all these people?” I complained.

“
Your mother went a little crazy with the invites…again.”

“
Frank must be going insane,” I laughed.

“
He has it covered,” she smiled. “I don’t think anyone would try anything tonight.”

“
Why is that?” I asked, somewhat confused. Lorna was about to speak when I heard my name being called, but it wasn’t the set of eyes I was hoping for.

“
Shannon, you look stunning,” Mac smiled, kissing my hand.

“
Hi, Mac,” I replied, pulling my hand from his grip.

“
Please, you have to let me have this dance,” Mac begged.

“
Sorry, I’m looking for Charlie,” I replied, scanning the crowd again.

“
Charlie is here?” he asked in surprise.

“
Yeah, he landed a few hours ago,” Lorna interrupted. “So you better keep your hands to yourself, Mr. Mac.”

Mac became lost in his thoughts. “Please excuse me, ladies,” he finally said, walking off into the crowd.

I had no idea what the hell was going on, but I needed to find Charlie. Something told me that Mac didn’t think Charlie was going to be here tonight. I hoped Rachel wasn’t backing down on her promise.

Pushing my way through the crowds of people, I ignored the calls. I could make out Rachel and Mac in the distance, clearly shouting at each other. Great!

“
You told me he wasn’t going to be here, Rachel!” Mac spat.

“
I will tell him, Mac! Do you hear me? You will
not
play God with my son’s life!” Rachel screeched.

“
Can we take this outside, please?” I interrupted, glaring between the two of them.

“
You know, don’t you?” Mac questioned glaring at me. “How long have you known?”

“
Mac, outside. Now!” I yelled. “I am not doing this here so Charlie can witness the two of you pulling each other apart.” I stormed out onto the balcony without waiting for a response. Luckily, both of them followed me.

The night sky was clear and the stars were out in full force.

“
You haven’t told him, have you?” I turned to Rachel.

“
It’s not that easy,” she complained.

“
How long have you known, Shannon?” Mac asked, suddenly blocking my view of Rachel.